Gardens in Kennington create a community spirit

A group of residents have grown closer than ever after coming together to build a community garden.

Residents at Lambeth Towers on Kennington Road have created Lambeth Towers Community Garden, to encourage a greater sense of community and inspire a new generation of gardeners. Residents of the apartment blocks were given the plots after securing funding from The Tenants and Residents Association (TRA) and with the help of Urban Growth – a social enterprise that looks to create and maintain biodiverse spaces across the capital.

Construction for the project began late last year and came together in a matter of days.

A community day was held in March ahead of lockdown to celebrate their new green area.

Discarded pallets were reused to make herb walls and old tins were repurposed as pots to grow plants. Residents also hope to encourage residents to dispose of their food waste for composting and buy water butts to collect rain to water plants.

Residents inspired by the community garden have been inspired to cultivate plants on their own balconies. Lambeth Tower resident, Ricardo Da Silva said: “I’ve lived in the building for over 20 years and have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would ever have something like a community garden.

I am so proud to have been involved and hopeful that this project will leave a legacy that goes on to inspire future residents.” Sonia Da Silva, chairwoman of the TRA and lead for the community garden project said: “Community spirit can be hard to come by in a London council estate where neighbours might live alongside each other for years and have no contact.

“Developing an area where we promote socialising is paramount in changing the way communities interact. “Our little garden is a gem in the mist of concrete and residents have taken ownership and are proud to belong to the green fingers club.”

Pictured: From left, Ricardo Da Silva, Raoul Kinch, Silvan Muller, Adnan Yildiz, Vitória Sanvicente, Sonia Da Silva, Jorge Da Silva, Diana Kinch